1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of concrete building forming equipment. More specifically the present invention relates to a composite roof form and to a roof form support structure for forming an integral concrete roof between the upper ends of walls of a building module or a building. The roof form includes the wall upper end segments of at least first, second and third upright building walls, these wall upper end segments having a height matching the desired roof thickness, a beam or a fourth wall and having a recessed horizontal lip portion facing the second wall, and several modular roof form support structures, each including a support leg extending from the building module floor or ground upwardly along the second wall to substantially the bottom of the second wall upper end segment and including a concrete support panel having a panel connected end joined to the support leg and a panel engaging end having an engaging flange resting on and supported by the lip portion, so that the support panel extends parallel to the first and third wall upper ends along the bottom of the wall upper end segments. The support panel upper surface defines at least a portion of the roof form bottom wall.
Each roof form support structure preferably includes two mutually parallel and laterally spaced apart support legs, each support leg being welded at its leg upper end to a hinge bar oriented perpendicular to the support legs. The support panels each preferably include a panel top sheet and a series of mutually parallel top sheet supporting panel beams secured to the panel top sheet lower face and extending from the panel connected end to the panel engaging end. Panel end beams perpendicular to the panel longitudinal beams are provided at each end of the support panel, and the panel end beam at the panel engaging end includes an outwardly directed engaging flange. Hinge plates protrude from the panel longitudinal ends at the panel connected ends and have hinge bar ports through which the hinge bar is rotatably mounted so that the support legs are jointly pivotable against the support panel for compact support structure transport and storage. The support legs preferably have broad foot plates across their lower ends to distribute the weight of concrete poured into the roof form over a wider area on the ground or module floor. The support beams are preferably welded to the lower face of the panel top sheet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been forms for pouring pre-cast concrete walls. What has been absent is a form to complete a concrete building module which permits pouring an integral concrete roof in place between the upper ends of side walls of a module.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide roof form for completing an integral concrete building module, which permits pouring of the roof in place between the upper ends of module side walls.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a form which can be assembled manually and without the help of lifting equipment.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a form which includes roof form bottom wall support structures which are modular and thus can be selected in various numbers for modules for various sizes and which are adjustable in height to accommodate modules of various heights.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a form which can be assembled and disassembled by workers of ordinary skill and at minimum work time and materials expense.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A composite roof form is provided, including a beam having a recessed horizontal lip portion, a portion of the beam extending above the horizontal lip portion to define a roof form side wall; at least three upright building walls laterally connected to define an interior building space, the interior building space containing a building floor, wherein one of the upright building walls is a beam opposing wall oriented to substantially face and positioned to be spaced apart from the horizontal lip portion of the beam, and where the at least three of the upright building walls each have a wall upper end segment defining a roof form side wall; and a roof form support structure including at least one support leg extending from the building floor upwardly along the opposing wall to substantially the bottom of the upper end segment of the beam opposing wall and including a support panel having a panel connected end joined to the support leg and a panel engaging end and a panel upper surface and having a lip portion engaging structure resting on and supported by the lip portion, so that the panel upper surface extends along the bottom of the wall upper end segments and the panel upper surface thereby defines at least a portion of a roof form bottom wall.
The wall upper end segments preferably each have a height substantially matching the desired roof thickness. A series of these roof form support structures are preferably provided having mutually adjacent and laterally abutting support panels defining a composite roof form bottom wall.
Each of these roof form support structures preferably includes two of the mutually parallel and laterally spaced apart support legs, each support leg having a leg upper end and being welded at its leg upper end to a perpendicularly oriented hinge bar pivotally mounted in hinge bar mounting structure connected to the support panel, the panels each including a panel top sheet and a series of mutually parallel top sheet supporting panel longitudinal beams secured to the panel top sheet lower face and extending substantially from the panel connected end substantially to the panel engaging end, and panel end beams perpendicular to the panel longitudinal beams at each end of the panel, and the panel end beam at the engaging end includes the lip engaging structure. The lip engaging structure preferably includes an outwardly directed engaging lip.